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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: chair · present · row · arm · ball · suit · drill · root

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. present — a gift
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. root — of a word
  8. suit — clothes
  9. root — the cause
  10. ball — a great time
  11. row — to paddle
  12. ball — a dance
  13. present — there
  14. present — the time now
  15. root — of a plant
  16. suit — in cards
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. chair — a leader
  20. row — a line
  21. drill — a practice
  22. drill — the tool
  23. suit — to fit
  24. chair — to sit on

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com